The Naval Battle of Actium, 31 B.C.

History's Greatest Battles

Octavianus’ victory over Antonius (Mark Antony) was a historically cataclysmic moment that shattered the very foundations of the ancient Republic. With his enemies vanquished, Octavianus claimed unrivaled dominion over the Roman government, casting aside the old order and erecting in its place the towering behemoth of the Roman Empire — a new era, born from the ashes of the Republic, that would echo through the annals of history for millennia.
Actium. 2nd September, 31 B.C.
Octavianus' Naval Forces: ~400 Ships
Antonius' and Cleopatra's Naval Forces: ~ 500 Ships
Additional Reading and Research:

• Fuller, J.F.C. A Military History of the Western World.
• Gurval, Robert. Actium and Augustus: The Politics and Emotion of Civil War.
• Porter, Barry. Actium: Rome's Fate in the Balance.
• Plutarch. Life of Antony.
• Sheppard, Si. Actium, 31 BC: Downfall of Antony and Cleopatra.

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1. The Naval Battle of Actium, 31 B.C. (00:00:00)

2. The Birth of Antonius and Octavianus (00:00:43)

3. The Second Triumvirate (00:02:38)

4. Octavianus' First Political Moves (00:04:14)

5. Antonius Meets Cleopatra (00:04:51)

6. Antony and Cleopatra Declare Themselves Gods Reincarnate (00:06:36)

7. Octavianus Turns Rome Against Antony (00:08:10)

8. Octavianus Destroys Antony's Supply Lines (00:10:36)

9. The Decision to Fight at Sea (00:11:58)

10. Cleopatra Flees the Naval Battle (00:14:39)

11. Antony's Troops Surrender En Masse (00:16:31)

12. Antony's Last Stand (00:17:38)

13. Octavianus as "First Citizen" in Rome (00:18:37)

14. Octavianus as Emperor (00:19:33)

15. The Dynastic Caesars (00:20:12)

16. Changes to the Roman Military (00:21:15)

17. The Aftermath and Legacy of Actium (00:23:03)